This was my first shot -- and a first draft -- at writing an action research proposal. It needs work, I know.
Kristine A. Harger
Central Connecticut Writing Project
Professional Piece: Action Research Proposal July 22, 2008
Statement of action research question. (Focus on student learning)
Can student writing improve if revision is guided by a rubric?
Specific goals and objectives of action research.
The goal of this action research is that students will be able to use a rubric to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in their own writing – specifically lead writing, citation, and word choice -- and make revisions based on that evaluation. The research will be based on the writing of students taking Journalism/Graphic Arts, and use NBHS Schoolwide Rubric 2.01 (Demonstrate a variety of writing skills).
Initial action plan for achieving goals and objectives.
September 2008: Introduce and model forms of journalistic writing, including: features, general news, breaking news, and sports. Mini-lessons will be conducted on lead writing, citation and word choice. Students will begin writing their own articles.
October 2008: Completed first articles are assessed by the teacher using the rubric. This is the baseline data. Students receive these back with rubric attached. Together, teacher and students discuss elements of good news writing and how the rubric is used to assess that. Teacher and students re-write the rubric in student-friendly language, and students use the rubric to revise their articles. Data from revised articles is charted.
November 2008-May 2009: Students continue to write and revise articles based on rubric. Mini-lessons on content, structure, style, editing and citation are conducted as necessary. Data is charted.
June 2009: Students write a reflective piece that discusses the role the rubric played in improving their writing. Final data is charted.
Identification of data collection and analysis process.
a. The following schoolwide rubric will be used (2.01):
5
4
3
2
1
Content
Exemplary ideas
-Ideas are fully supported with clear, precise examples
Insightful ideas
- Ideas are supported with clear examples, or
- Most ideas are supported with precise examples.
Ideas are good
- Some ideas are fully supported while others lack sufficient support, or
- Support combines both specific and vague examples.
Ideas are basic
- Support is vague or insufficient
Ideas are limited
- Support is vague and minimal, or
- Incompatible with the ideas
Structure
- Clear and concise introduction aligns with body
- Body paragraphs have a clear topic and extensive, precise support
- Clearly aligns introduction and body
- May display minor weaknesses in paragraphs, article structure, or support
- Introduction and body are somewhat aligned
- Some weakness is evident in one area or in paragraph structure
- The support combines specific and vague examples or is insufficient
- Displays some evidence of news article structure
- Displays weaknesses in alignment of paragraphs
- Support is vague and insufficient
- Displays minimal evidence the writer aligns news article parts
- Paragraph structure is limited
- Lacks support
Style
- Sentence structure is clear and concise
- Word choice is precise
- Writer uses various techniques to enhance style
- Style is original
- Sentence structure is clear or concise
- Most word choice is precise but it is inconsistent
- Writer uses some techniques to enhance style
- Style is somewhat original
- Sentence structure is somewhat clear or concise.
- Word choice varies between precise and vague
- There is little evidence that the writer uses literary techniques to enhance style
- Style shows little originality
- Sentence structure shows weaknesses
- Word choice is not precise
- There is little evidence the writer uses literary techniques to enhance style
- Style lacks originality
- Sentence structure is awkward
- Word choice is vague and/or incorrect
- There is no evidence writer attends to style
Process
Uses process to plan, make frequent and/or major revisions to produce a publishable copy
Uses a process to plan and revise to produce a publishable copy
Uses a process to plan and revise
Uses a process to plan and edit
Uses some process to plan and edit
Edit
Grammar/spelling errors are few or minor
Grammar/spelling errors do not interfere with comprehension
Grammar/spelling errors are evident
Grammar/spelling errors interfere with comprehension
Grammar/spelling errors severely interfere with comprehension
Citation
Accurate citation in news article
Some errors in news article
Serious errors in news article
Lacks citation in news article
Little evidence writer cites sources
b. The following chart will be used to track data:
Student #
Article #
Article date
5
4
3
2
1
Content
Structure
Style
Process
Edit
Citation
Each student will be assigned a random number (S-##); each article they write will be assigned a number (A-##). The date each article is submitted will be recorded in order to track performance over time.
Current research supporting this plan.
a. For using rubrics to improve thinking and writing:
“At their very best, rubrics are also teaching tools that support student learning and the development of sophisticated thinking skills. When used correctly, they serve the purposes of learning as well as of evaluation and accountability.” (Andrade 2000)
Rubrics make quality the standard for assessing both teaching practices and student achievement. They encourage students to shift their thinking from “What have I learned?” to “How well have I learned it?” (Yoshina 2007)
b. For involving students in writing rubrics:
“When students are involved in designing rubrics, assessment becomes front and center. As students examine models and discuss issues of quality, they set goals for their own work. Rubrics are a great tool for
continuous assessment and improvement.” (Yoshina 2007)
“Working together to construct the rubric helps students accommodate their strengths as learners and create a more democratic classroom by engaging them in the process for assessing their work.” (Burch 1997).
Name and role of collaborator(s).
Tom Malinowksi, co-teacher
Bibliography
Andrade, Heidi Goodrich (2000). Using rubrics to promote thinking and learning. Educational Leadership 57(5).
Burch, C.B. (1997). Creating a two-tiered portfolio rubric. English Journal 86(1), 55-58.
Yoshina, Joan M. & Harada, Violet H. (2007). Involving students in learning through rubrics. Library Media Connection. February.
Kristine A. Harger
Central Connecticut Writing Project
Professional Piece: Action Research Proposal
July 22, 2008
Can student writing improve if revision is guided by a rubric?
The goal of this action research is that students will be able to use a rubric to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in their own writing – specifically lead writing, citation, and word choice -- and make revisions based on that evaluation. The research will be based on the writing of students taking Journalism/Graphic Arts, and use NBHS Schoolwide Rubric 2.01 (Demonstrate a variety of writing skills).
September 2008: Introduce and model forms of journalistic writing, including: features, general news, breaking news, and sports. Mini-lessons will be conducted on lead writing, citation and word choice. Students will begin writing their own articles.
October 2008: Completed first articles are assessed by the teacher using the rubric. This is the baseline data. Students receive these back with rubric attached. Together, teacher and students discuss elements of good news writing and how the rubric is used to assess that. Teacher and students re-write the rubric in student-friendly language, and students use the rubric to revise their articles. Data from revised articles is charted.
November 2008-May 2009: Students continue to write and revise articles based on rubric. Mini-lessons on content, structure, style, editing and citation are conducted as necessary. Data is charted.
June 2009: Students write a reflective piece that discusses the role the rubric played in improving their writing. Final data is charted.
a. The following schoolwide rubric will be used (2.01):
-Ideas are fully supported with clear, precise examples
- Ideas are supported with clear examples, or
- Most ideas are supported with precise examples.
- Some ideas are fully supported while others lack sufficient support, or
- Support combines both specific and vague examples.
- Support is vague or insufficient
- Support is vague and minimal, or
- Incompatible with the ideas
- Body paragraphs have a clear topic and extensive, precise support
- May display minor weaknesses in paragraphs, article structure, or support
- Some weakness is evident in one area or in paragraph structure
- The support combines specific and vague examples or is insufficient
- Displays weaknesses in alignment of paragraphs
- Support is vague and insufficient
- Paragraph structure is limited
- Lacks support
- Word choice is precise
- Writer uses various techniques to enhance style
- Style is original
- Most word choice is precise but it is inconsistent
- Writer uses some techniques to enhance style
- Style is somewhat original
- Word choice varies between precise and vague
- There is little evidence that the writer uses literary techniques to enhance style
- Style shows little originality
- Word choice is not precise
- There is little evidence the writer uses literary techniques to enhance style
- Style lacks originality
- Word choice is vague and/or incorrect
- There is no evidence writer attends to style
b. The following chart will be used to track data:
Each student will be assigned a random number (S-##); each article they write will be assigned a number (A-##). The date each article is submitted will be recorded in order to track performance over time.
a. For using rubrics to improve thinking and writing:
“At their very best, rubrics are also teaching tools that support student learning and the development of sophisticated thinking skills. When used correctly, they serve the purposes of learning as well as of evaluation and accountability.” (Andrade 2000)
Rubrics make quality the standard for assessing both teaching practices and student achievement. They encourage students to shift their thinking from “What have I learned?” to “How well have I learned it?” (Yoshina 2007)
b. For involving students in writing rubrics:
“When students are involved in designing rubrics, assessment becomes front and center. As students examine models and discuss issues of quality, they set goals for their own work. Rubrics are a great tool for
continuous assessment and improvement.” (Yoshina 2007)
“Working together to construct the rubric helps students accommodate their strengths as learners and create a more democratic classroom by engaging them in the process for assessing their work.” (Burch 1997).
Tom Malinowksi, co-teacher
Bibliography
Andrade, Heidi Goodrich (2000). Using rubrics to promote thinking and learning. Educational Leadership 57(5).
Burch, C.B. (1997). Creating a two-tiered portfolio rubric. English Journal 86(1), 55-58.
Yoshina, Joan M. & Harada, Violet H. (2007). Involving students in learning through rubrics. Library Media Connection. February.